Billy Sherwood goal re new Yes music

[yamishogun]

Howe isn't going to let Yes do another Open Your Eyes.

And I assume Yes won't let Howe do another Bumpy Ride.

A win for everyone.

[Kcrimso]

And I assume Yes won't let Howe do another Bumpy Ride.

A win for everyone.

Indeed!

[Paulrus]

What has led you to believe that Howe -- a man who has stubbornly stuck with Yes more than most people who have passed through the band, someone who clearly has strong views about what Yes music should be, the person with the highest profile in the current line-up, the guy who co-wrote so much of Yes's greatest works -- would cede all artistic direction to someone else?

I don't think that's what I said, or implied. I was merely assuming that -- since it's his first chance to be a creative contributor to a new Yes album since The Ladder -- that Billy would be itching to have a shot at it. And we all know how prolific he can be. I think only Steven Wilson tops him in that regard (oh, if only SW were in Yes... ). I would therefore assume he would bring a LOT of material to the table for consideration. Sure, Steve might say "Hold on, not so fast. Yes is MY band now."

I see nothing to suggest that Downes isn't very proud of being in Yes and his contributions to Yes. He seems entirely happy writing long-form, more proggy pieces: look at "Subways Walls"

I think he likes a) the paycheck, and b) being able to say "I'm the keyboard player for Yes." Everything after that is gravy. Hopefully that long-form piece that was cut from H&E will eventually see the light of day, and that it will be worth the wait.

Presuming there is a new album, it will likely have composing contributions from across the band members.

This I agree with. I guess all I'm saying is -- assuming there'll be another album -- I would bet real money that Billy will be at least one of the primary contributors, both in terms of songwriting and producing/engineering ("Hey guys, I can do it at home. It'll be cheap!" )

[Adm.Kirk]

If Sherwood wants to mix it and engineer it and record it at his studio, that's fine. Just get an outside producer or let the band produce themselves. I really liked the way that the last two Like it Is live albums sounded, particularly White's drums which had something very near to how they sounded in the late 70's, at least to my ears. The band produced and Sherwood mixed. I thought that worked well.

Bill

[3LockBox]

No more hospital zone, Hallmark card, pussified symphcorn pap. Yes is done and has been out of ideas for some time, save for the leftover stuff from Drama. The Keys studio stuff should have been released as a stand alone statement and that shoulda been their swan song. Let whats left of them tour as Yes... just tour.

[bondegezou]

^ Yes have done two albums with Sherwood as a member before: Open Your Eyes, with Sherwood writing nearly all the material, the band producing themselves and Sherwood engineering and co-mixing; and The Ladder, with Sherwood one of many contributors, songs put together out of parts brought by different people, an external producer, external engineers, and an external mixer. Most people, including Howe, think one of these albums is better than the other, so when people think about what a new album with Sherwood as a member might be like, I don't know why they presume Yes would pick the former model over the latter model.

Henry

[Zonefish]

I think I am finally OK if they decide to never record another album. I realize that while I don't hate H&E (I don't like it either), any speculation of a "return to form" on a next YES project , will most likely disappoint.

[timmy]

I will support a new Yes album IF...

... they agree to let others, i.e. non-members of Yes, produce and engineer the new album.

[arturs]

I think the very best we could hope for with Sherwood's leadership would be something like the first CIRCA, which is still by far my favorite of anything he has done. But I don't think even that would scratch the itch for a lot of yes fans.

[bRETT]

I will support a new Yes album IF...

... they agree to let others, i.e. non-members of Yes, produce and engineer the new album.

Didn't work too well last time, though. (And I agree that there's probably a lot we don;'t know about that album, since there's a trademark RTB sound-- big, grandiose-- and H&E didn't have it).

[2steves]

Open Your Eyes, Part 2.

Barf.

Lol exactly--this line up can't make a great Yes album. The idea of insanity is doing the same thing and thinking for a different result. Yes has been doing it for some time. Guys like Davidson and sherwood should not be in charge of a new Yes album but they will be. OYE was horrible--The Ladder is so over rated on here --has like 2 decent songs---and H&E is well....

[Sean]

You seriously think Howe will just sit back and let OYE #2 be made? I have doubts.

[wilcox660]

I'd like to see Yes write songs about fresh fruit, coziness, owls, and dreamy gazes through frosted windows. Perhaps a number about a magic journey into a land of talking cats & boldly colored grasses. Orange colored bologna sandwiches & chilled green juices. That would be awesome.

[yamishogun]

I'd like to see Yes write songs about fresh fruit, coziness, owls, and dreamy gazes through frosted windows. Perhaps a number about a magic journey into a land of talking cats & boldly colored grasses. Orange colored bologna sandwiches & chilled green juices. That would be awesome.

Well, yeah, but only Rabin, Wakeman and Anderson (for the bologna part) could pull that off.

[kid_runningfox]

Oh god, just please NO. Without Squire it's dead. Heck, even with him Yes were pretty much exhausted as a creative force judging by the dismal effort that was Heaven and Earth. Just keep milking the nostalgia circuit if you must, but PLEASE stop tarnishing that golden legacy with increasingly dire studio albums.

[Skullhead]

My expectations for a new Yes album are about as low they could possibly be considering my two least favorite Yes albums are OYE and H&E, and it seems like the main writers for those albums would be the main writers for the new album. But in that light, all they can do is meet or exceed my expectations!

I will always think of YES as a great progressive rock band. Other than that, I don't think they ever were a great pop group. If they are going to try to write poppy unambitious music, why bother. Their best music was created during their art rock, prog rock era. They are now older, wiser, more experienced, there is no reason they could not make a really great album now in that vein. Of course they would need to bring back Jon Anderson. No reason not to.

[Rand Kelly]

Great posts Henry. It should be noted that Billy has been petitioning heavily, that Yes pull Gates Of Delirium from the proverbial dusty shelf of 2001 to be added on the 2016 Tour. I'm all for this.

[bondegezou]

Oh god, just please NO. Without Squire it's dead. Heck, even with him Yes were pretty much exhausted as a creative force judging by the dismal effort that was Heaven and Earth. Just keep milking the nostalgia circuit if you must, but PLEASE stop tarnishing that golden legacy with increasingly dire studio albums.

Yes has made weaker albums in the past, and then returned to make stronger albums. Why presume that one weak album means they're "exhausted as a creative force" rather than that there were specific problems with that album? I know plenty of acts that have made lesser albums than come back later with better albums: King Crimson, Asia, Gong, Steve Hackett, Rush, Marillion...

I mean, if you thought the last, say, 5 albums were all terrible, then fair enough. When you speak of "increasingly dire studio albums", do you literally mean that H&E was more dire than Fly from Here, which was more dire than Magnification, which was more dire than The Ladder, which was more dire than Open Your Eyes? Because that doesn't appear to be a majority view.

Henry

[bondegezou]

I think [Downes] likes a) the paycheck, and b) being able to say "I'm the keyboard player for Yes." Everything after that is gravy.

On what do you base this somewhat cynical view? What has given you this impression?

When I read or hear Downes talking about Yes, he seems to me to have a deep, abiding love and respect for the band and its history. I know some people don't like Downes' music, and some don't like his personality, but listen to him talk and he appears to have thought harder about Yes's music than most.

Henry

[BravadoNJ]

even if Sherwood & Howe can co-exist on stage.....
in the studio- that's another story.
there will be tension and someone is gonna leave.....

[Scott Bails]

there will be tension.

Tension often helps to create great art.

I don't think it was always sunshine and lollipops in the studio during the 70s.

[2steves]

even if Sherwood & Howe can co-exist on stage.....
in the studio- that's another story.
there will be tension and someone is gonna leave.....

Thats great news if true hopefully it will be sherwood-- generally speaking his music is non-essential---there is nothing priority about it---everyone points to one circa album but the guy has tons of music out and it's just not that interesting. If Yes can't have the best players jamming some good music or composing some interesting music what is the point?

[bondegezou]

Tension often helps to create great art.

I don't think it was always sunshine and lollipops in the studio during the 70s.

http://www.theuncool.com/journalism/rs136-yes/

Henry

[Scott Bails]

http://www.theuncool.com/journalism/rs136-yes/

Henry

Wow. What a cool glimpse into the past!

[ProgArtist]

Wow. What a cool glimpse into the past!

Yes indeed! Funny to read that knowing what was on the horizon for them. Rick was just barely feeling like he was starting to fit in somewhat, but this was only right before Tales happened, and we all know how he felt about that. Strange to think what a short time he was in the band the first time. Eddy felt that Close to the Edge was a little too far out, but he didn't know what was coming either.